Surprise
by Wings of Speed
Summary: I believe this one may be finished, but if you don't like the ending (which alot won't) let me know and I'll continue, I left it so I can do that, just let me know! Thanks
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1  
  
Mallory walked out of the room she and Tanya were sharing, peeking out around the door to make sure that non of the other ducks were around. Looking warily both ways down the hallway, she crept silently out into the deserted hallway. She turned to the left, walking in front of the room that Wildwing and Nosedive shared, stopping quickly in front of their door, she softly put an ear to the door and listened for any sounds coming from with in the silent room. She smiled impishly to herself, all was quiet.  
  
She continued down the hall, passing the door that led into the kitchen, not noticing the lone figure sitting in the shrouded darkness of the room. The figure slipped out of the kitchen and stealthily followed her down the hallway. Getting into the secret base's elevator she pushed a button selecting to go up to the hockey rink. Stepping out, the door shut behind her and the elevator proceeded to go back down the shaft into the heart of the base below the hockey stadium. The young woman turned around and regarded the door suspiciously. What am I doing? She wondered to herself.   
  
She looked towards the rink and the deserted ice ring. Indeed, what am I doing? If the others knew…the thought ended mid-sentence as she heard a noise coming from the way she had just come. Did someone just come up the elevator? She wondered, slowly turning around and walking back towards the locker rooms.  
  
A hand shot out from the shadows of the grandstands, grabbing Mallory by her shoulder and whipping her around. "What the hell!" She yelled, quickly spinning around on her left foot and planting her right foot in her assailant's stomach. The hand immediately left go of her shoulder and the man grabbed hold of his stomach and doubled-over in pain. "Phil?" Mallory asked, placing a hand on the plump agent's shoulder. "Sorry Phil, but you should know better than to sneak up on me like that." Mallory scolded. "What are you doing here this late at night?" She asked, I guess it's a good thing he didn't catch me then, isn't it? I certainly don't need him telling-  
  
"I forgot something in my office," Phil started to say, slowly standing up straight, gently rubbing his sore belly. "I was just getting it when I heard a noise out here, I came out to see what it was-"  
  
"In the bleachers?" Mallory asked sarcastically.  
  
"Well, yeah." Phil said, blushing slightly. "I was gonna ambush whoever was trying to brake into the pond after hours…you know give them the scare of their lives so they never try it again. I just didn't figure on getting the shit kicked out of my by one of my own players." Phil finished. Lamely trying to cover his own ass and his lack of courage.  
  
"I'm sure Phil, real sure." Mallory mocked. "Now shouldn't you be getting home? Want me to walk you out to your car, or do you think it's safe enough for you to walk out there all by your lonesome?" Mallory asked, placing an arm across Phil's shoulders.  
  
Phil stuttered, "I-um, I…I'm sure…well, it…I think…it…um, yeah…no I mean…NO!" He finally managed to get out. "I certainly don't need a female protecting me! Least of all some alien female duck!" With that Phil grabbed up his envelope and papers and hurried out of the pond. Mallory watched him go, a faint smile playing across her beak.  
  
She turned once more towards the ice rink, slowly making her way to it's edge. I'm so glad that the guys are all asleep…they'd never let me live this down. I'd never be able to look any of them in the face, it'd be to disgracing. She glanced down at what she was wearing, her bulky team jersey, the one she wears for games. Without having all the padding and gear protection on underneath the shirt looked way to big for her and hung limply on her small frame. Sometimes I hate being this small…she thought, just slightly agitated. Wildwing use to think I couldn't pull my own weight… he thought that because I'm a female that I'm not cut out for this type of work. It's not that he's biased or anything, he just didn't want to see anyone from the team get hurt and he was always so over protective, especially towards me and his little brother Nosedive…damn annoying kid anyways! Why did Canard have to allow that dumb blond along anyway? Because of Wildwing…she sighed in frustration. Then you got Grin and Duke, Grin don't really care about having a female on the team. 'Your inner peace is strong enough as long as you don't disrupt it…' he would say, what ever that means. Duke and I just really never got along, he seems to have taken a shine to Tanya, but she just can't seem to see that…but then again she's tried telling me that Wildwing has a crush on me and that I don't see that. Ha, I've looked and I certainly haven't seen anything there so she I have to admit that if Duke really does like her like I think he does, she wouldn't know it unless he came up and said it to her face! The team seems to have taken to Tanya a lot better than they did me, perhaps it's because of the fact that she'd not military oriented, she's more interested in mechanical and technology, she shivers slightly and grimaces, things…she's not as prone to go out and try to beat the living shit out of anybody the way I am…I know they think that I'm a loose cannon sometimes, but it's just who I am, I can't help it. She sighed again, looking down at the ice.  
  
Glancing quickly around the rink, making sure that no one else was around, she stripped out of her oversized jersey and skated out onto the ice. The moon was lending its pale silver light to the atmosphere that night, and the light filtered into the rink through a series of skylights at the furthest up sections of the rink. She skated out onto the ice, gently swaying her hips, a soft, romantic song playing on the personal CD player she was carrying with her. She didn't notice the pair of dark eyes that watched her from the shadows of the bleachers.  
  
She skated silently for a while, just doing simple figure eights, once in a while quickly reversing her direction and skating backwards, the air rushing past her and ruffling her hair in it's breeze. The small, powder blue tank top she was wearing billowed around her small body, the wind whipping around the bluish-silver ice skater's skirt she had on. She stopped suddenly in the middle of the ring, looking curiously around, her eyes stopped then passed over the spot where the silent pair of eyes had been watching her previously, but were no longer there.  
  
She skated off of the rink and toward the announcer's booth. Looking around the small and cramped compartment she found the amplifier and the PA system. Looking around for a few more seconds she found what looked like a CD player. Popping one of her CD's in, she pushed the play button, or at least she was hoping it was the play button then left and walked back towards the ice rink.   
  
A light sound began over the speakers, carrying like the sweet song of the flute. Mallory slowly began circling around the rink, just swaying gently to the sound of the flutes. The flute crescendo and a soft female voice began to sing. Celine Dion and the theme song from the Titanic. The stranger sitting in the bleachers moved closer to the rink, trying to get a better look at the female duck skating untroubled down on the ice.  
  
Mallory began to sing along with the lyrics to the song, her body swaying to the beat, her shoulders moving to the music. She balanced on one foot and suddenly jumped into the air, landing on the ice facing backwards, she steadied herself with her hands and continued skating backwards, propelling herself with both feet now. She brought her hands up into the air over her head and slithered down towards the ice, almost sitting on her tail feathers. She slowed, till she was almost not moving and slowly begun to spin, sticking her right leg out in front of her, the toes pointed out in front of her. She picked up the speed on the spin, almost becoming dizzy, then suddenly standing up bring her hands up over her head and snaking them down along the sides of her body.  
  
The music suddenly switched, playing Savage Garden's Animal Song, the skater down on the ice picked up her pace slightly, quickening her pace. She moved to the music, her body gyrating to the beat, and her head bouncing to the music. She smiled, her entire being dancing to the music. She skidded to a halt and suddenly reversed direction and begun skating in a complete different direction. She did a figure eight in the middle of the rink and suddenly started to spin again, but this time she stayed up on her feet.  
  
She started skating again, picking up speed, dodging and darting on the ice, like she was avoiding obstacles. Mal propelled herself into the air, somersaulting, her hands touching the cold ice only to flip herself up though the air again. Her feet hit the ice once again, but she repeated the move again, somersaulting into the air, but this time pulling her knees to her chest and tucking and rolling through the air then unrolling her body as she landed perfectly on the ice. She resumed skating again, this time backwards slightly turned around to watch where she was going. She spun easily on her left foot again, bringing her right leg up and gripping the blade on her skate gingerly, she let go of the blade and brought her foot up behind her back and arched her neck throwing her head back. She continued the spin, her hair whipping wildly around her face. The song ended, only to be replaced by Savage Garden's Santa Monica…a song with the same upbeat as the Animal Song.  
  
Mallory slowed, she bent down and gripped the toes of her skates, her back facing the unknown stranger. He watched as she bent down and gently pushed herself off, skating backwards while holding onto the front of her skates. She kept her beak near her knees, her eyes focused on the ice speeding by under her feet. She didn't look up as she passed the spot he sat at, didn't even know he was there. Her mind was on other things…not her surroundings; it never crossed her mind that someone was watching her. The rest of her teammates were all asleep down in the secret base, and the hockey stadium was impenetrable. That was one thing they had made sure off, especially after the fiasco dealing with the B.R.A.W.N. Wildwing wanted to make sure that they wouldn't have to deal with anything else blasting it's way into the stadium so he'd ordered Tanya to reinforce the stadium walls. Nothing could brake into the building, so the lone female duck never thought that someone could be watching her.   
  
She continued skating that way for a bit, the rhythm of the song her driving force, her back spasmed so she stood up, stretching her hands up over her head, shaking her tail feathers, trying to rid herself of the kink in her back. She suddenly felt someone come up behind her and wrap their hand around her mouth, effectively stifling the scream she was about to emit. She tried to throw her elbow back, trying to jab them in the stomach, but they only laughed. Their mouth was right next to her ear, she could feel their breath on her cheek. She cringed, allowing her body to go limp, hoping they would think she had fainted, instead they threw their other arm around her waste, effectively pulling her up against a hard chest.  
  
Mallory struggled as her assailant attempted to drag her towards the edge of the rink. She couldn't allow him to get her outside of the pond, she had a much better chance if she could keep him here in the pond. If she could just get to her communicator, try to call Wildwing or Tanya, somebody.  
  
"I don't think so," a male's voice said right next to her ear. He gripped her wrist and removed to comm unit there. "You certainly are not going to call for reinforcements." He chuckled low in his throat. "So, which one are you? Tanya or Mallory? From the description that Dragaunus has given me, I would guess the latter. Well, Mallory, His Lordship is waiting to see you." With that said, both disappeared in a brilliant green light. 


	2. The Offer's Made

Author: Wild-Melody  
Disclaimer : Um, do you really need one of these? I don't own it, not a thing, except for maybe the basis of my story, but that's it and I'm making no money on this, though I wish I was….darn!  
Rating : This won't be to bad, but it might get worse in the later chapters…I don't know yet what I'm gonna have happen for Wildwing and Mallory yet, but I do know they will end up together…after some really nasty stuff happens! I'm evil…but I love to write this way! That was my evil twin talking, not me. Ok, warning for swearing also.  
  
Ok, on to the story, hope you enjoy…  
  
Chapter 2 : The Offer's Made  
  
Wildwing woke up to pounding on his bedroom door. What the hell? He though, swinging his legs out over the side of the bed. He looked over at the alarm clock, 3:30 in the morning! He fairly shouted out loud. This had better be important for someone to be waking me up this early in the damn morning! He thought grumpily. He looked over at Nosedive asleep on the other side of the room, his little brother didn't so much as stir. Kid could sleep through an earthquake, Wildwing thought. He threw his bathrobe on, not knowing if it was one of the girls or the other guys of the team on the other side of his door. Better to be safe than sorry, he thought.  
  
He pushed the button to open the door and was greeted by Tanya's worried face. Her purple-tinted glasses were sliding down her bill, and her hair was all mussed up like she had just hurried and threw her usual purple jumpsuit on and quickly put her hair up it the ever present ponytail. "Wildwing!" She said, her breath coming in uneven shallow breaths. The nasaliness was even more pronounced now than it usually was. "Good, it's you."  
  
Wildwing looked curiously at her, "Who else would it be?" He asked, he stepped back and motioned for her to come in.  
  
She bashfully walked past him, her eyes quickly surveying the surroundings. She looked at each wall, the beds, the dressers and closets. Her eyes skimmed over the door leading to Wildwing's and Nosedive's personal shower. Her eyes came to rest on the youngest member of the team still asleep in his warm comfortable bed. "Um…Wildwing?" She asked, glancing curiously up at her leader.  
  
"It's alright," Wing said, looking over at where Nosedive was sleeping soundly. "He won't wake up, believe me. This place could be hit by an earthquake and it won't shake his butt outta bed." He sighed and motioned for Tanya to take seat on his bed. "What's got you up this early?"  
  
Tanya sat down on the bed, her back and posture remained rimrod straight, like she was severely nervous. Wildwing sat down next to her and she quickly moved over a few inches, putting more distance between herself and her team captain. Wildwing chuckled, "I won't bite, don't worry."  
  
Tanya blushed, "It's not…um, nyat-er, that. It's jus-s-st…well, um…s-s-see-s…" She paused, unable to meet Wildwing's eyes.  
  
"What's up Tanya?" Wildwing asked, turning so he was facing her. "It's ok, just go ahead and tell me what ever it is that's bothering you. You know you can tell me anything." He said, Just as long as you don't tell me that you're secretly in love with me…I see the way you look at Duke, not to mention the way he looks at you. He thought, a smile creeping across his beak.  
  
"It's Mallory." Tanya said, her voice braking even more than usual.  
  
"What about her?" Wildwing asked, his heart doing a sudden lurch into his throat. "Is she alright?"  
  
"Um, well…th-that's just it. I-I d-don't know." Tanya stuttered. "Sh-she's not in our r-room. I c-can't seem to f-find her a-an-anywhere. It's j-just like she d-dis oh, is gone." Tanya quickly got up and started pacing across Wing's and Dive's floor.   
  
"Whoa, just calm down Tawny, I'm sure she's got to be somewhere here in the base or up in the rink. Did you check upstairs?" Wildwing asked, grabbing at straws. Mal just has to be here, where would she go? She wouldn't go anywhere with out telling someone, at least not this early in the morning.  
  
"Y-yeah, I l-looked upstairs. S-she's not there." Tanya sat back down on the bed and nervously looked at Wildwing. He was thinking, his beak resting in the palm of his hand. "Um, Wing?" He looked at her, his eyes boring into her's. "Mal d-did a lot of t-times s-sneak out at n-night."  
  
"WHAT?!" He almost exploded. Dive moved in his bed, mumbling something about fifteen more minutes then he'd get up. "What do you mean she'd sneak out at night? Where to? Why didn't you ever tell anybody?"  
  
"W-well, I-I always th-thought she w-was coming t-to see y-you." Tanya stuttered, worse than ever. Wildwing was really making her nervous. I guess he really does have feelings for Mallory, to bad she won't listen to me and ask him out sometime. Tanya thought to herself.  
  
"Me? Why me?" He asked, incredulously. He blushed slightly before turning his head away from her.  
  
Ah-ha! Tanya thought, I saw that! I knew I was right! Why can't you two just admit it and get it over with already? "I just thought, w-well, that s-something…" she paused, trying to gather her wits about her. "Oh, never m-mind, I don't k-know! P-point is she's m-missing, and I d-don't know where she c-could be at!"  
  
"Right," Wildwing said, he looked over towards his younger brother. "Sound a code red, I want everyone in the control room in five minutes. Try to see if you can locate her comm signal, we'll start there and see where we can go after that."  
  
Tanya nodded her head and dashed out of the room.  
  
*****  
  
Mallory slowly woke up, her head feeling like a thousand Saurian troops had been using her for their marching grounds. Her arms were tied behind her back, and her ankles were bound together. She tried opening her mouth only to find that someone had tapped her beak shut. Shit!! She swore, looking around the cell she was being held in. Typical Saurian holding cell, she thought, her eyes wondering around the small cramped room.  
  
No, not typical. A voice said, she whipped her head around, trying to find the speaker. She saw no one.  
  
What the hell? She thought to herself. Am I going insane now too?  
  
Not at all, the same voice said calmly in her mind.  
  
Who the hell? Show yourself! Mal thought. What the hell am I doing, talking to myself now too? I am going crazy! Maybe I shouldn't have eaten that last slice of pizza before going to bed last night. The tape binding her mouth shut suddenly dropped to the floor at her feet. Her eyes widened as she glanced down at the offending piece of gray tape.  
  
Pizza has nothing to do with it. The voice said calmly in her head once again.  
  
"Who the hell are you and show yourself, would you?!" Mal yelled at the top of her lungs. She flexed her jaws, feeling her jaw muscled pop.  
  
A duck just a hair shorter than Wildwing stepped out of the shadows. He was dark black with evil red eyes, his feathers looked like the ends were tipped with a crimson coloring. His red eyes bored into Mal's, she was forced to look away from his menacing glare. He was broadly built, his arms and legs well muscled. He looked like he could take Wildwing or Grin down with no problem. He stood before her clothed in a dark blue cloak embroidered with blood red moons. The hood on it drooped over his face, but didn't hide it from sight, Boy, I wish it did. Mal thought to herself.  
  
He grinned evilly at her, his red eyes lazily caressing her body. Mal shuddered, her stomach suddenly feeling like it was going to heave all it's contents on the floor of the cell. "How in the hell did you get into the pond in the first place?" Mallory asked, trying to take her mind off of the evil thing leering at her. "Tanya had equipped it with the very latest in security measures, you shouldn't have been able to get in!"   
  
It wasn't that hard to get by your primitive defenses. He sneered, leering even more evilly at her. Your friend forgot to take into account magic.  
  
"No she didn't. She had shields set up that would repel Saurian magic."  
  
Ha, ha, ha…so very damn funny, the evil creature laughed, coming up to the bars of the cell. She took into account Saurian magic, did she ever consider Puckworldian magic?  
  
Mallory's eyes widened in disbelief. It just can't be…no, it's just not possible. Your all suppose to be dead. They took care of you a long time ago…it just isn't possible.  
  
I'm here, aren't I? Apparently all things are possible. The evil duck snickered. I was hoping that I'd catch you first.  
  
Oh? And why is that? Mallory shot back, her eyes narrowing.  
  
I know who you are Mallory McMallard. Or should I say, I know what you are?  
  
Her eyes narrowed even more. "And what is it you think I am?"  
  
A Puckworldian Sorceress, I know it ran through your family's blood quite strongly. It grew stronger with each generation, occasionally skipping one or two generations. I thought it had skipped you, but now I'm not so sure. I think you maybe perhaps the strongest of your line.  
  
"I don't know what your talking about." Mallory said, glaring daggers at the evil duck.  
  
Oh, you don't?  
  
Mallory shook her head, really having no clue as to what the lunatic was talking about.  
  
Your first mistake was answering me. If you didn't possess the magic than you wouldn't be able to hear me, let along respond to what I'm saying. And second, I can feel it coursing through your blood. I can feel it radiating off of you.  
  
Who in the hell are you? Mallory asked, struggling with the ropes that tied her wrists together. If only I can loosen these slightly then I might be able to get free.  
  
You have a lot to learn Flaming Bird, I can hear all of your thoughts, just as you can hear mine. He chuckled softly in his throat, As for my name, I am called Nightshade, Priest of the Delkta-triad. Your friend Dragaunus brought me here from the Dark Realm in hopes that I could help him in defeating you ducks. Never in my wildest dreams, or his for that matter, had either of us thought that one of you lowsy do-gooders would be a magius. What a surprise it was when I learned that one of you possessed quite a significant amount of magickal energy.  
  
Sorry to disappoint you Nightshade, but I think you have the wrong duck. No one in my family knew or knows how to do anything that involves using magicki, not even remotely near that notion for that matter. Mallory thought, still working at trying to loosen the binding on her wrists.  
  
Oh, don't sell yourself short Flaming Bird, you will surprise even yourself. I can teach you how to use your powers. I can show you the potential of your gift!  
  
You'll turn me evil.  
  
I'm the only one who can teach you how to use your powers, there's no one else on this mudball that can teach you the ancient Puckworldian Art of Magius. Think about it. With that said, the evil shadow that cloaked the Priest Nightshade disappeared and Mallory wondered if she was trully alone this time or was he still hiding somewhere in the shadows, just waiting for the opportunity to pounce on her raw emotions.   
  
*****  
  
Wildwing and Nosedive were the last to make it into the control room, Tanya was already sitting at Drake 1's control panels, punching in series of different sequences of numbers. With each series of numbers a different screen would show up on Drake 1's main computer screen, but there was no activity on any of the screens. Wildwing glanced at the rest of the assembled Ducks. "What have you got for me Tanya? Have you found her yet?"  
  
Tanya punched in another sequence of numbers and the picture on the screen changed one more time, this time a bright red dot blinked on the screen. "I uh, found her comm signal." Tanya said, her stuttering under control now. "She's still here in the, uh the pond." Tanya said, turning around to face Wildwing. "Uh, she's actually up in the, uh rink, at least according to Drake 1."  
  
"Good, Tanya I want you to stay down here with Drake 1 and tell me how close I'm getting to her comm signal. I'm gonna go up and try and find her." Wildwing says, rushing out of the control room.  
  
"Boy," Tanya breaths, "This is, uh proving to be an interesting morning already." She says as she watches the blip on the screen that represents Wildwing. It moves up through the levels of the secret base until it finally reaches the uppermost level, the Hockey Rink. Now the two blips are only mere centimeters apart. She flips the comm toggle. "Um, Wildwing, you should be right on top of her now."  
  
There came a sound over the comm, that could only be described as a scuffle then Wildwing gently swearing. "It's only her comm unit." He said, "I'm not liking this one bit. Something's happened here and we're going to get to the bottom of it. I'm on my way down, better come up with some other ideas as to how we can find her."  
  
A few moments later Wildwing walked through the control room doors. "Well?" He asked, looking at each of the team members individually. "Anyone come up with any ideas at all?"  
  
Tanya cleared her throat, all eyes turned towards her. "I'm thinking! Believe me, I'm thinking!"  
  
Wildwing shifted his eyes back to the rest of the team. "Well, the rest of you thought of anything?" He looked at Duke, the older man wouldn't meet his gaze, just kept avoiding it. Grin stood like a statue, his mind deep in thought. Nosedive was staring up at the ceiling, acting like his mind was a million lightyears away. "Anything at all?"  
  
"I say it smells of Draggy!" Nosedive hissed. "This is just like something he would do. Capture one of us to send the rest of us into turmoil."  
  
"I think I have away, why I didn't uh, think of it earlier is like beyond me." Tanya said, swinging around in her chair to look at Wildwing. His facial expression told her to go on. "Well, ya see, I've um, been working on these new rocket skates, they kinda ya know go from ice blades to skates for regular…" she quite talking for a second, pausing from the glare she was getting from Wildwing. "Um, well, you see they have a built in homing beacon in them. You know, just in case something like this was ever to happen. If Mal borrowed them from my lab, like I know she's been wanting too, then well, I can use the beacon to find out where she is."  
  
"Alright Tanya!" Nosedive crowed. "Score one for Tawny!"  
  
"Nosedive would you mind keeping it quiet just for a little bit while Tanya runs this scan?" Wildwing asked, resting his hands on the back of Tanya's chair. His eyes were glued to the computer screen.  
  
Tanya begun punching in a few more codes, the screen flashed quickly, the diagrams on the computer screen turning into a blueprint of the secret base. Five red dots began to steadily blink, "The skates are still here," Tanya says. "They're still…um wait a minute!"  
  
"What is it Tanya?" Wildwing asks, looking closer at the computer screen.  
  
"One of the skates is missing. There is only five pairs in my lab. Mallory must've taken the last pair!" Tanya pushes another button on Drake 1's main control panel, the screen changes once again, this time showing a map of Anaheim. A solitary red dot begins to blink, "That's got to be Mal!" Tanya says excitedly.  
  
"Tanya, I want you to stay here again, the others and I are gonna go and look for her. I want you to tell me if that dot starts moving or if anything strange seems to happen." Wildwing says. Tanya nods her head yes in understanding. "The rest of you Ducks to the Migrator, we've got a teammate to find!" Tanya watches as Wildwing, Nosedive, Duke and even Grin all run from the room.  
  
"Left here again all by my lonesome," she sighs to herself.  
  
*****  
  
The Migrator stopped just outside of what looked like a turn of the century farmhouse. Wildwing was the first one out, he stopped just outside of the Migrator and stared up at the farmhouse, Something's just not right here, he thought to himself. Touching either side of the mask he scanned the old building. His eyes narrow, Duke stops next to him, "Whatdya see Wing?" Duke asked, noticing the look on his leader's face.  
  
"Trouble," Wildwing said, "It's the Raptor."  
  
"I told you this whole thing smelled of Lizard Lips!" Nosedive said, his voice rising with his excitement.  
  
"Yeesh," Duke said, putting a hand on Dive's shoulder, "Calm down kid, your tiring me out just watching you bounce around with that excitement of yours."  
  
"What are we gonna do? Just stand here and gawk up at the Raptor or are we gonna storm it?" Dive asked, his voice growing that much more excited.  
  
"We don't know what they're doing to Mallory, let alone why they caught her." Wildwing said, studying the Raptor with the mask. Something just didn't feel right here.  
  
"I say we just blast our way in!" Dive said as he started for the cloaked Raptor. "Here we come Draggy, ready or not!" He shouted as he started firing exploding pucks at the 'old farmhouse'.  
  
"Nosedive, NO!!!" Wildwing yelled, running after his impulsive younger brother. Suddenly the cloak of the old farmhouse disintergrated and the Raptor stood in all it's evil glory there in front of the ducks. Lazer fire shot down from the Raptor, trying to reroute the attacking ducks.  
  
"Enough of this!" Wildwing shouted as he blasted a hole in the side of the Raptor. "Come on Ducks!" He yelled as he dove into the interior of the Raptor, the rest of the Ducks weren't far behind.  
  
*****  
  
Mallory jumped as the warning claxons began their loud blaring, almost braking her eardrums. I wonder if Wildwing and the others have made it in yet…I hope they get here soon, that Nightshade is really starting to scare me! She glanced towards the door that lead out of the cell block. She swore she could see his glowing red eyes in the shadows, watching her. Admit it though, his offer is tempting, a little voice said in the back of her mind. It is not! She screamed back at it, There is no way I would learn the evil side of the Puckworldian Art of Magius. My family only practiced the side of the light, it would be disgrace to all that they were and all that I am if I even considered delving into the evil arts.  
  
Admit though, it's a tempting offer…the voice continued.   
  
It is not! Mallory shouted, Now just shut up and let me alone would you?!  
  
It appears you friends have finally made it, Nightshade from the shadows. I was wondering how long it would take them…I figured they would be here a lot sooner than this. Your team leader must not be very bright.  
  
If I could get out of this cage I'd kill you right now with my bare hands! Mallory growled. I suggest you take that back about Wildwing right now, or if, no when I do get out of this cell, I will personally rip your head off and feed it to you!  
  
Touche aren't we? Is this Wildwing something to you? More than just your team leader perhaps. I thought it was against Military Code to get involved with a Superior Officer. At least it was in my time, I don't know about yours.   
  
I swear once I get out of here I'm gonna kill you with my own bare hands! You hear me?  
  
Yeah, hear you, kinda hard not to when your yelling like that. He slunk out of the shadows and walked up to the cell bars, looking in at the female duck sitting on her tail feathers on the floor. I can teach you everything you'll ever need to know Flaming Bird, if you'd just let me. I could be your Master. The thought enter her mind.  
  
I doubt that, Mallory hissed through her teeth. The evil Magius stepped back into the shadows and disappeared. Is he still here or did he teleport out of here? Mallory wondered.  
  
I'm still here Flaming Bird, just in another part of the ship, that's all. Remember my offer, I can teach you everything, you could have anything your heart desires…  
  
You wish! Mallory spit back. Suddenly one of Draguanus' fighter drones entered the room and took up a sentry position at the door, it's gun pointed ahead, towards the doorway, waiting for someone to attempt to try and come through the door.  
  
A puck ricocheted off of the doorframe and struck the drone in what could only be called its chest. The drone blew up, sending pieces of melted metal flying towards Mallory. She blinked and tried hiding her face from the explosion. No such luck, she thought as she felt a piece of hot shrapnel hit her in the side of her face. Ouch!  
  
Wildwing walked through the door, glancing around trying to find Mallory. "Mallory, stand back, I'm gonna blast the door." He said once he looked in the cell at her. He fires an exploding puck at the cell door and Mallory watches as the door disintergrates in a debris of smoke and rock shrapnel. Wing rushes into the cell, quickly cutting the ropes from her feet and wrists.  
  
"Thanks Wing!" Mal says, looking up into his eyes through the mask.  
  
"Come on, let's get out of here!" Wing says, helping Mal to her feet. Wearily looking out of the doorway, checking both ways to make sure that there won't be any surprise attacks, he motions for Mallory to follow him. Duke falls into stop behind them, Mal has no idea where he came from. Up ahead she catches site of Nosedive and Grin.   
  
Wildwing starts to push her out of the hole he created when she suddenly freezes. MALLORY!!! She hears the name echo through her mind. She whirls around, trying to find out where he's at. She can't find him, he's hiding somewhere in the shadows, but she can feel him watching her every move. I can teach you everything, you can have anything beyond your wildest dreams. Just stay here and let me teach you. Put you special gift to use Mallory.   
  
Mallory stared for a few more seconds in the direction he was standing, or at least from the direction his mind-thoughts had come from. Not on your life!  
  
A lazer bolt shot past her head, striking the wall behind her. Mallory turned and cringed. "Watch where you fire those things at would you? Your gonna hurt somebody!" She yelled as Siege and Chameleon came around the corner.  
  
"That's the idea!" Siege growled. "I was trying for roast duck for dinner, but it looks like you got out of your cage." He took aim again, readying to fire at her again. "Charboiled duck doesn't sound half bad so why don't you hold still so I can get a good bead on you?"  
  
"Not on your life you Saurian slime!" Mallory yelled back, grabbing for her puck blaster and belatedly realizing it wasn't there. One was suddenly shoved into her grip, she looked over and met Wildwing's eyes. She nodded her thanks and took a shot at Siege. The Saurian moved out of her range of fire, Lucky for you I guess. She thought malevolently, glaring at the Saurian.  
  
She heard Wildwing order everyone to retreat, she started falling back, Wildwing following behind her. Mallory, think about it…she heard his voice again, in her head. You can have anything you want…anyone you want.  
  
That made her stop for a second time and turn around and face the traitorous duck…Anyone I want? She echoed, the thought spiraling around in her mind. She saw him just barely nod his head in the affirmative. She felt someone grab hold of her, she turned to look at Duke, he was saying something and pointing towards the hole Wildwing had blown in the side of the Raptor. She nodded her head, turning once more to look back at the evil Magius Duck. He was gone already.  
  
It was in that time span that time actually seemed to stand still, she heard a hiss of breath escape from Duke, his one good eye turned towards here, the look filled with pain. She frantically looked for Wildwing, he was trying to drag his little brother out through the hole but the younger duck was fighting the whole way. That's when she say the stray sphere of light angle towards Wildwing and Nosedive. Nosedive took the blast full in the chest, he screamed out in pain and collapsed on the floor.  
  
Duke grabbed hold of Mallory by the back of her shielding and pulled her toward the hole. Wildwing and Grin were both trying to carry the unconscious Nosedive through the small opening. She turned wearily and followed her teammates towards the Migrator. She knew she was going to get it this time, there was no doubt about it.  
  
*****  
  
Tanya was checking on the two ducks vitals for what was probably the hundredth time since they had been brought in. She looked down at each of the Medcom beds controls, trying to find anything that would show that either one of the injured ducks were showing any sign of recovery. Duke's vitals were slowly coming up out of the red zone, he was just starting to stabalize, How did you manage to stay conscious long enough to get out of the Raptor? She wondered looking down at Duke.  
  
She turned her attention to Nosedive, he wasn't fairing any better, actually he was far worse. He had quit breathing on his way to the pond, and no sooner had they gotten him in on the Medcom bed his heart had stopped beating. Wildwing was outside of the infirmary right now, talking to Mallory. Tanya pitied the only other female duck of the team.  
  
Wildwing was glaring at Mallory, "Wanna tell me what happened back there?" He asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He leaned back against the wall, waiting to hear the female duck's explanation.   
  
She glared right back at him but didn't give up an ground. Her arms laid loosely by her side, "I don't know," she stated, but she was unable to meet his eyes then.  
  
He was in her face suddenly, "The hell you don't know! Dive and Duke are in the infirmary right now because you 'don't know'! You'd better come up with one heck of a better excuse than that!" His arms had fell to his sides too, his hands were clenched, his knuckles turning even whiter than they already were.  
  
"It's not my fault they're there." Mal hissed, backing up a step from Wildwing. "I didn't shoot them, what do you think I am? A traitor or something?" She said hotheaded.   
  
"That's a good question." Wing said, regarding her strangely. "I don't understand how they got into the pond in the first place," he said, rubbing the bottom of his beak. "There's no way they should've been able to get through the defenses Tanya's put up around this place."  
  
"What are you saying?" Mal asked, her voice suddenly going low and soft.  
  
"Did you help them orchestrate your own capture?" Wildwing asked, holding his breath, dreading the answer.  
  
Mallory stared aghast at him, her eyes suddenly narrowing. "I can't believe you'd ask me such a thing," she said, stepping up to him so they were beak to beak. "What, you think I'm working for the Saurian's now?"  
  
"I don't know, you tell me." Wildwing said, looking down at her.  
  
She just glared at him even more, then he said something that she'd never thought she'd hear come out of his mouth. "Your benched until further notice, and I want someone with you at all times. I mean all times, you don't go anywhere without telling someone where your going and when you'll be back."  
  
"I can't believe you just did that!" Mallory said. The argument grew heated, things were thrown back and forth, things that shouldn't have been said but were, and would never be able to be taken back. Mal grew angrier by the second, until she had no idea how she did it, but Wildwing was getting into her face once more and with a simple flick of her wrist, she sent him flying across the room. She watched dumbfounded as her leader slid down the wall to the floor and sits there not moving.  
  
Mal quickly flips her comm unit on, "Tanya, you'd better get out here, Wing's out cold." After a brief question and answer session with the other female duck, Mal shut the comm unit and turned to regard Wildwing. She squatted down next to him, looking at his face. She put a hand up to his cheek, softly caressing it. A tear slips down her from her eye, trailing a sparkling coarse down over her feathered cheek, "I'm sorry Wing," she says, her voice braking. She gently kisses him on the side of his beak, then she turns from him and dashes out of the area and out of the headquarters. 


	3. Intoducing Windracer

Author : Wild-Melody

Disclaimer : Urgh, again? I don't own any of it, except for the story basis, but the Ducks and the Villains (except for Nightshade and any others I come up with along the way) belong to Disney…you know the rest.

Rating : Well, lets see, I think this will probably be rated PG-13 because of language…nothing else major in the beginning chapters. I'm being nice to Mal right now…until later *grins evilly*.

Warning : Well um, swearing…yes, a whole lot of swearing.

Please review, thanks kindly!

Now enjoy the show…oops, I mean enjoy the story.

Chapter 3 : Introducing Windracer

The door whooshed open and Grin carried his unconscious leader into the infirmary. Tanya motioned for him to put Wildwing on the medcom bed next to Nosedive. She glanced worried up at Grin. "Did you see Mallory?" She asked, her tone soft and worried.

Grin shook his head. "No," was the only thing he said.

Not much for words are you big guy? Tanya thought to herself. She attached a heart monitor to Wing and watched the steady beat of his heart rate. Scanning the medcom's screen she also checked his vitals, everything seemed alright, she turned to face Grin. "He was hit by some strange form of energy." She pointed to the scorch marks on his armor. "You see these burn marks?" Grin nodded his head but said nothing more. "They were not made by any weapon I know of, nor by any kind of energy I know of either."

"This is bad karma." Grin just stated.

"Duh…yah," Tanya just glared at him, feeling like she wanted to shake some sense into him. "Only thing I can figure is we must've had and intruder in here." She glanced around the infirmary as if looking fro the intruder. "We have nothing in our armament that would leave marks like this, least not that I know of."

"If you say so." Grin said, staring down at Wildwing.

"Since apparently we had an intruder and Mallory is also apparently missing, it stands to reason, that well, um, she's been ducknapped."

"How did they get in?" Grin asked.

__

Hmm, actually a whole sentence without all that spiritual junk in between. Tanya thought to herself. She opened her mouth to answer and shut it just as quickly then stuck a hand up to her bill and rubbed it thoughtfully. "I'm actually no quite certain on that…um, well…" she trailed off thinking. "Good question is how did they get in the second time? Better yet, how'd they, well you know, get in the first time?" She blushed slightly, but continued rubbing her bill. "So how have they gotten Mal out each time?"

"Uncertain," was all Grin offered.

__

Big surprise, Tanya thought wryly. "Maybe's there's a malfunction with the security system somewhere. I'll do a diagnostic on the system and see if that's the problem or not." She started towards a computer terminal in the infirmary when a groan from behind her stopped her in her tracks.

"Ow, man, my aching head." Duke exclaimed. "Anyone get the number of that freight-liner?"

Tanya and Grin turned to face him. "Duke!" She exclaimed, "You're awake! How do you feel?" She started towards him as he started to attempt to sit up. She put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Not so fast, wait until I check your vitals."

"Yeesh," Duke complained. "I'm fine Tawny. Never felt better, other than this headache. Got any Tylenol laying around in this place?" He asked, looking around and spotting Wildwing.

"Wing!?" He exclaimed. "What happened ta him?"

"We're um, not quite sure. Mal called and said he was out cold."

"Great! So now we're out one leader and his…" he turned his head to regard Nosedive in the bed next to him, "and one over rambunctious kid brother. We're two ducks short, ain't this a nice mess?"

"Um, actually, we're four ducks short." Tanya said, backing up a few steps as Duke turned seriously agitated eyes towards her.

"What?!" He shouted. "Just how do you come up with that?"

"Well, you for one-" she was cut off short.

"Now just wait on damn minute there!" He fairly bellowed. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with me!"

"Well, um actually there is." She pointed down towards his feet. "You see, when you finally did collapse, well, um…you kinda fell and broke your foot." Tanya said, pointed at the offending bandaged limb.

"What?!" Duke yelled, sitting up quickly he looked down at his foot. "It don't hurt though. Can't be broke if it don't hurt!"

"Pain is only in the mind." Grin stated solemnly. Tanya turns away momentarily to look at Wing's and Dive's readouts.

"I'll give you only in your mind!" Duke grumped, a thought suddenly occurring to him. "Um, Tanya?" She turned from Wildwing's readouts and looked at him. "You said four ducks?" He looked closely at her, "Wildwing, Nosedive and I only make up three…"

"Mallory." 

Duke quickly looks around the infirmary but doesn't see Mallory. "What's wrong with her, where's she at?"

"We don't know, she's missing."

*****

Mallory sat on the hood of her new 2002 Pontiac Sunfire, she gazed up at the sky, watching as the moon just started it's ascent into the darkening sky. The pale orb cast it's bright reflection off of the water in front of her. She turned her head to look out over the ocean, letting a sigh of despair escape from her mouth. Her mind began to backtrack over the last few hours and how she had ended up here. _ How did I do it? _ she wondered, asking herself over and over again. _I didn't even touch him. I just thought about it and it-_

Happened. Someone supplied for her. She glanced quickly around, but no one was there.

__

No! She mentally screamed. _Not again! Stay out of my mind!_

It's not who you think, came the voice again. It was soft, gentle and feminine. Definitely not Nightshade. _I am not who you fear. _The voice said.

__

Then who are you? Mal asked.

She felt a hand softly placed on her shoulder. She quickly tuned around and there stood a female duck about her age. Her fiery red hair cascaded down to the center of her back. Her bright green eyes stared lovingly at Mallory. The corners of her mouth turned up in a smile.

She bowed at her waist and did a simple curtsy. _Hello Mallory, my name is Windracer, but you should already know that._

You can't be, Mallory breathed. _Windracer is dead! _She cried. _I killed her! You can't be her, she's dead! It's just not possible, I killed her. It's just not possible…_ The young duck broke down and began to sob, the tears over coming her and the sobs racking her body. The strange female duck walked up to her and took the younger female in her arms and cradled her gently.

__

It's not your fault I died, my child. It's not your fault, please don't blame yourself.


	4. The History of Nightshade

Author : Wild-Melody

Disclaimer : Um, another one? You know it all already so I'm gonna cop out and not do it…other than saying that the ducks themselves belong to Disney, but Nightshade, Windracer, Wind Dancer, and the rest of them belong to me…ha, they're all mine. Mine you hear? All mine! Ok, that's over with, I feel better now.

Rating : Um, nothing major…no fighting really, not a lot of swearing, so it's pretty clean this time around.

Warning : same as the rating, this chapter is pretty clean.

Please review, I love reading them…I get all warm and fuzzy inside, oh sorry that's the alcohol taking effect. Wait, I don't drink, never mind.

Chapter 4 : The History of Nightshade

Mallory collapsed on the grassy ground near her car, it's bright blue paint gleaming dully in the pale moonlight. _It's just not possible, _she thought, looking up at the duck that was holding her so tenderly, just like a mother would her babe. _Or is it? _She hesitantly reached a hand up to touch the other female's face.

Windracer turned her face towards Mallory's hand. _It's very much possible, _the thought gently caressed her mind. _ I know what you've been told of my death, and I also know that you blame yourself for it too. _Her mind-thoughts were like a gentle spring breeze through Mal's mind. _It was not your fault and there is no reason for you to blame yourself for it. You were not even born when I passed away, at least not yet._

Mal looked up at her mother, curiously. _But how is **this **possible? You are supposed to be dead, aren't you? I mean it is true, you did die right?_

Windracer laughed and smiled down at her only child, she then sat down next to the younger female. _It's part of your heritage Mallory, part of who you are. All magick-users of Puckworld can communicate this way, all those living and dead. _The smile faded and the older duck appeared sad and tired. _Yes, I am dead, _she said, her voice carrying a note of remorse with it. _I'm the spirit of the duck I once use to be…_she paused in her thoughts. _I died giving birth to you but never truly passed onto the next life because I knew I would be needed here again, sometime. I knew you would be needing my help. But not even in my wildest imaginings had I ever thought that it would be Nightshade that you would be needing help with._

Mal's heart froze at the mere mention of the evil sorcerer' name. _Nightshade. _Her body shuddered convulsively. _What do you know of him? What can you tell me about him? Why is he so interested in me?_

Windracer smiled, _So many questions for such a young duck? I can answer all of your questions as long as you have the time. _She looked thoughtfully at her daughter. _Do you have time for a long story? I'll tell you everything that you want to know._

I'm not enthused about going back to the pond, not after what I did to Wildwing, Mallory thought sadly. _They'll probably shoot first and ask questions later…_

It was unfocused magick Mallory, Windracer said, embracing her daughter once more when it appeared the young duck would brake down in tears. _It was not your fault, _Mal was about to protest when Windracer put a finger to her beak. _Shh, let me tell you the story of Nightshade and your ancestors, it may explain a lot for you._

Nightshade came from a very powerful and wealthy family. He was spoiled, and was not use to the word no. He wanted for nothing, whatever it was he wanted was gotten by any means, whether it was by money or magick. 

All except for one thing, your great grandmother, Skysong Swanfeather. Nightshade met her at one of the Covent meetings and fell in love with her almost instantly. Skysong wanted nothing to do with him though, but Nightshade was not use to being told no.

Skysong was the daughter of a very powerful sorcerer and sorceress, the likes of have never been seen on Puckworld since…perhaps until now. Magick runs strong through our family, I'm only sorry I wasn't there to oversee your training. Windracer looked down at her daughter, _You were never trained at all, were you? Not even in the basics? _Mallory just shook her head. _I think your father was scared of it, of what you might become…your father was not of the magick caste. _

Mallory smiled, _I kind of figured that one out. How did you and dad meet anyways? You two seem so much like opposites._

We were, my parents weren't happy that I married outside of the magick line, but I loved your father dearly. I know he married a woman who was…no, forget it, back to the story about Nightshade.

Anyways, he wanted her like he'd never wanted anything else before on Puckworld. He had to have her, by any means possible. Skysong refused him, she'd already promised herself to another, Darkskies Magickfeather. They were already planning their wedding and their future together.

Nightshade became obsessed with Skysong, he began to follow her all over the place. Rumors began that he was delving dangerously close into the forbidden arts of the Magiusi, the evil side of our magick.

Magiusi? Mallory asked, a confused look on her face.

__

Yes, Magius is what we call our form of magic. Magiusi is someone who uses it, someone who is prone to be magickly gifted or inherited to it, like you are. Mallory nodded her head in understanding. _Anyways, Nightshade was delving dangerously into the evil side of Magius, his parents tried talking to him about it. He wouldn't listen, and about a week later we found them murdered in their own house, in their very own bedroom. Someone had killed them while they slept._

Mallory gasped in dismay and Windracer closed her eyes like she was in pain. _Nightshade was always suspected of the crime, but it couldn't ever be proven. Skysong married Darkskies a few months later and no sooner had the happy occasion occurred then Nightshade disappeared._

A year later your grand mother Wind Dancer was born. Nightshade reappeared shortly after the birth. He didn't come along though, he brought with him a group of Dark Magiusi, they called themselves the Delkta-Triad. 

A terrible fight ensued after that, Nightshade and his followers were banished to the Dark Realm, where they have been imprisoned until now, when someone has apparently left Nightshade out.

Mallory looked out towards the ocean, the bright moon reflecting off of the surface there. A deep sigh escaped from deep with her soul.

__

One last thing Mallory, Nightshade swore he would gain revenge on our family. He would one day return and take the child that would be Skysong's twin for his bride. Windracer sighed, tightening her grip on her daughter's shoulders. _He meant you my child. You are the spitting image of your great grand mother. You are her twin, the one he spoke of._

Mallory's eyes widened with shock. _That just can't be!_


	5. No Title, Just Is

Author : Wild-Melody

Disclaimer : *eyes wide* Oh, another one? If you insist, I don't own them, the Mighty Ducks that is, but the rest of the unknown characters are more than likely mine. If not, I didn't intentionally take them from anyone else, I thought they were all originals of my own…just in case. I'm sure though that they all are mine, but you can use 'em if you ask nicely, otherwise I'm gonna hunt your stinking Saurian butt down and give you an up close and personal introduction to a pucklauncher. *Smiles sweetly* Hope you enjoy the latest chapter….

Warning : Um, nah. I warned you enough in the disclaimer…oh, you mean a warning about the story? Nothing to bad here either, later chapters will have lots of violence and other things…*shrugs shoulders* You'll see once I'm done with it, but not any sooner!

Rating : Hmm, clean I guess. For now anyhow….

Ok, sit back and enjoy the show….oops, sit down and enjoy the book I mean, oh sorry again, the story.

Chapter 5 : ???

Wildwing was just starting to regain coniousness, it was like trying to climb through a thick black fog. His head ached and his body felt like he'd been slammed by a semi-truck. A groan escaped from his beak and he tried rolling over to his side.

He thought he heard someone talking in the distance, or was it the background? He couldn't worry about that right now, he had more important things to figure out. For instance, he needed to figure out where he was and what in the hell was going on! Plus, he needed to figure out how he had gotten where ever it was that he's at….to much to figure out upon just waking up.

His vision went from the thick black fog to light gray smoke. _Am I starting to wake up? _he wondered. Images began flashing before his eyes on the fog. Tanya standing outside of Dive's and his bedroom. Her sitting on his bed-_huh?! _Mallory's missing-_Oh, I get it now. _Attacking the Raptor, freeing Mallory. Her pausing just as they were about to escape the Raptor, as if she was looking or listening to something or someone. _Had she betrayed us? _Wildwing wondered.

More images flashed before his eyes. Nosedive and Duke getting hit by lazer fire. Carrying Dive's lifeless body out of the Raptor. Duke, injured, dragging/pulling Mallory out of the ship. 

On the way back to the pond in the Migrator Nosedive stopping breathing, just as soon as they got to the pond his heart quit beating. Standing outside of the Infirmary talking with Mallory, no ARGUING with Mallory. Her moving her hand or wrist like she was going swat something and him hitting the wall.

All of a sudden he woke up, sitting up on the bed, gasping fro breath. "Where's Mallory?" he asked no one in particular. He glanced around the infirmary, Nosedive was laying on the bed directly besides him, all of his vitals were in the safe zones. _Thank goodness, _Wildwing breathed a sigh of relief. He looked to the bed Duke was laying upon, he wasn't even hooked up to the instruments. _He must be asleep, _Wind thought.

Tanya and Grin barreled through the doorway and stopped just inside of the infirmary doors. Wildwing looked at them intently, "Where's Mallory?" He repeated.

"I, uh…we, well…really don't know," Tanya answered once she stopped next to Duke's bed. "We were kind of hoping…well, that you…uh, be able to tell us. She c-ca-called to say that you were, well injured, but when we got there, she was, well gone." Tanya said as she looked down at Duke's prone form.

Wildwing leaned forward, as he tried to get a better look at Dive, then he turned to look at Tanya again. "I'm gonna need you to change the security codes for Drake 1 and the pond's security devices. I want the intruder surviellence system put on alert until I say further. Double check all of our security systems, make sure they're all in 100% working order, if not, I wanna know about it! I don't want a bug getting into this place without me knowing about it." Wildwing ordered, swinging his legs down over the side of the bed.

"Sure thing Wing," Tanya said, "I'll run an upgrade on all the systems and do a maintenance check on them as well. C-can I ask why?" She walked over to Dive's bed but didn't take her eyed off of Wing.

"I think we have a traitor amongst us." Was all Wing would say.

"Huh? Who?" Tanya asked.

"The only one of us who is missing." Wildwing said, getting off of the bed and putting his full weight on his feet. He felt wobbley and put a hand on the bed behind him to steady himself.

"You mean Mallory?" Tanya asked. Wildwing nodded his head. "But why would Mallory betray us?"

"She's the one that knocked me out."

"Huh? Why would she do that?"

Wildwing leaned away from the bed, putting his full weight on his legs, "I don't know, but that's what I aim to find out."

*****

Mallory looked at Windracer, _It just can't be possible. He's made it out of the Dark Realms to come after me? I just don't understand why?_

I'm sorry to say it but Mallory, as a sorceress, you weak. You've not been properly trained to use you powers and he knows it. He hopes to lure you to him with promises of training you.

Turning me evil you mean.

No, he can only turn you if you willingly want to be turned. He can not force you…Her voice trailed off as a thought occurred to her.

__

What?

Get back to your friends now Mallory. I don't care what happens or what Nightshade might say to you, but don't leave you base of operations.

Why?

He can not force you to turn, but he can tempt you…

I don't understand.

He'll tempt you with power, tempt you with your heart's desires…

Mal's eyes glazed over with understanding, her mother nodded her head. _And if he can't tempt you to him, he'll use his dark magick to try and lure you and if that don't work, he'll try and destroy you. _Mallory opened her mouth to speak but Windracer shushed her. _Darkskies saved her but you my daughter have no one to protect you, except for maybe your friends, but I don't know what good they would be able to do against Nightshade…_

*****

The alarms began to blare, the ducks came running into the control room, "What's the alarm?" Wildwing yelled over top of the din, he wanted to get back to the infirmary with Nosedive.

"Um, I'm not quite sure," Tanya said as she flipped a few switches. A picture of the parking lot popped up on Drake 1's screen. A small blue car had just pulled into the parking lot and was just parking in a vacated spot, but then again most of the spaces were vacated right now. The Ducks logo was embellished on it's light blue hood.

"That's Mal's car," Tanya said, even though everyone already knew that.

"Grin, your up top with me. Tanya, I want you to get one of the holding cells ready," Wildwing ordered. "Duke, go help her out, would you?"

"I still think we're making a big mistake." Someone said from behind him. Wing swung around but no one would meet his glare.

"Come on Grin," he said as he headed out of the control room.

Wildwing watched as Mallory stepped out of her car, one long leg at a time. He swallowed convulsively and looked at Grin. "Cover me."

Grin watched as Wing walked out to meet Mallory, _Bad Karma to defend one against one's own teammate._

Mal turned to face Wildwing, a smile suddenly lit up her face. "You're alright!" She exclaimed as she jumped into his arms, which went automatically if not somewhat reluctantly around her. "I was afraid I may have really hurt you, I didn't mean it Wing, you have to believe me!"

He coughed as he eased her away from himself. Once he had her at arms length he coughed again, trying to clear his throat. "I'm fine Mallory," he said as he looked down into her eyes.

She smiled up at him again, "I didn't mean to do it," she said softly. "I'm not even quite sure how I did it."

He cleared his throat again, "Um, well Mal, that brings me up to the safety of the whole team…" she looked up at him confused, unsure of where his direct line of thinking was going. "I'm afraid I'm gonna have to bench-"

"You already told me that once!" she said hotly.

"Yes, and well, also…" he paused , unsure of how to tell her he was going to confine her to a holding cell too. He didn't have to, suddenly his wrist comm went nuts, so did Mal's and Grin's. "What the hell?" He looked at his two teammates. He flicked the comm unit on, "Tanya, what's going on now?"

Tanya's face appeared in the vid screen, she looked rather flustered. "Um, well…I'm…you…it seems," she broke off as she did something off to the side that he couldn't see. Mallory was standing over his shoulder, listening to the conversation. Tanya must have just caught sight of her, "Hi Mal!" she said.

"Hi Tawny," Mal said back as she raised her hand over Wing's shoulder and waved. Wing unconsciously flinched, his mind flashing back to when she had knocked him out cold with just a flick of her wrist.

"It seems, that well…Drake 1 has picked u-up some high energy waves…similar to transport energy but just varied slightly. It m-migh oh, could be Dragaunus. I'm not sure though." 

"Alright, we'll be right there, have the rest of the team…." he paused as he looked at Mallory and Grin. _Damn! How am I going to do this? Someone needs to stay here with Nosedive, but we need to keep an eye on Mallory. _Wildwing paused as he thought his dilema out. _I can have Tanya stay with Nosedive and I can keep an eye on Mallory myself, that way if she hurts anybody else it'll be my fault and no one else's. _"Tanya, I want you to stay here with Nosedive, tell Duke to meet us at the Migrator." Tanya nodded her head and broke the connection. 

"What were you going to tell me?" Mal asked as she fell into step with Wildwing. Grin followed closely behind them.

"Nothing." Wildwing said crisply.

"I wouldn't mind staying here with Tanya. I could help her watch over Nosedive." Mal offered, _After all, Mom had told me to stay at the base and not to leave._

"No, I want you with me." Wildwing ordered.

"Why?"

"Because I do."

"Oh."

*****

"The Ducks are on their way." Nightshade said.

"Oh really? And just how can you tell?" Siege asked, glaring at the strange feathered avian. Lord Dragaunus had ordered for Chameleon, Wraith and himself to bring the traitorous Duck along with them. He didn't like the foolish fowl any, but Wraith seemed to like him even less…something about the foolhardy duck being even more powerful than he was. Siege shook his head and continued tying to pry the door to the warehouse open. Normally he would just blow the blasted thing away, but Dragaunus had warned him that this time no alarms were to be set off, so that meant doing this the creepy fowl's way.

"I can sense the one you call Mallory. She is with at least three others, the other two team members I can not feel through her. They must still be at their headquarters." Nightshade hissed, looking disinterestingly at the large ugly lizard.

"What ever." Siege hissed.

"Do you need some help Nightshade?" Wraith rasped from his place far away from the strange assembled group.

"Not from the likes of you!" Nightshade hissed, his breath coming out like hissing water. "I do not need to taint my magick with you evil craft."

__

Strange choice of words from a evil duck. Wraith thought to himself.

__

I can feel you coming Flaming Bird, Nightshade called out mentally.

__

Ok, review please…actually someone want to tell me what they'd like to see happen in this story? This thing is so way off coarse I'm not sure where I'm heading with it anymore, it's as much of a surprise to me as it is to you…I guess 'Surprise' was a good name for it then….I knew how everything was going to go, but somehow the story just took hold of the reigns and took off in its own direction, so everything that happens in each and every chapter is new to me and as much of a surprise as it is probably to you…ok, nuff babbling, just review, please….and if you have anything bad to say…well hell, just go ahead and say it, it gives me a good laugh. I had someone give me bloody poor review on 'The Christmas Wish' and I just gave them a bloody scathing review back…poor chap didn't even leave a name or e-mail address…J I felt so hurt…oh well. Reviews, I love 'em, one way or another, but I like the positive ones better! But I think we all do…actually I think poor reviews are just that, poor. Don't you know of the saying, 'If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all?" I mean, you could really hurt someone's feelings…but not mine, cause I laugh my head off at 'em. I have to many people tell me I'm a good writer to believe one crazy lunatic who WON'T even leave a real name or a e-mail…oh forget it, Chapter 6 should be out shortly, thanks for taking the time to read this. Hope ye all have a good holiday! 

Thanks again, Wild-Melody ;-) 

*Blows kiss and waves bye-bye* till next chapter!


	6. The Poisoned Blade

Author : Wild-Melody

Disclaimer : Don't own them, wish I did. Don't sue me, I'm not worth anything, save for a 2001 Chevy Prizm which your more than welcome too if you want it that bad, just as long as you don't sue me, but I'll warn you ahead of time, it's a pain in the butt (the car, that is)! Even if it is new.

Warning : I'll let you know as I go along…other than that I haven't the foggiest.

Ok, sit down, kick back and prop your feet up and enjoy the story of a time long ago and far way…oh, wrong story.

Surprise 

Chapter 6 : The Poisoned Blade

Mallory felt her body shudder with shock. _What?! _ Her mind screamed, _That's just damn impossible! And my name is NOT Flaming Bird! It's Mallory! Do you think you could get it right? _She closed her eyes and tried to control the convulsive quakes that ran rampant through her body. She opened them and looked over at Wildwing who was sat in the driver's chair in front of her. She was half tempted to tell him to turn the big rig around and take her back to the pond. She wasn't ready to deal with Nightshade yet, not by a long shot.

Duke turned around in his seat next to Wildwing and gave her a strange look. "Ya feeling ok kid?" he asked, looking at the slightly fearful look on her face. _Strange to see that type of look cross her face,_ Duke thought silently to himself.

Wildwing momentarily took his eyes from the road and turned around to look at her too. His eyes narrowed from behind the mask. "Something you wanna tell us?" he asked.

Mal quickly shook her head. _Not right now, _she thought silently. "I'm fine," she said as she looked over at Duke. She looked over at the seat next to her and realized that Grin too was staring at her. She raised one eyebrow at him questioningly. He just shook his head and returned his gaze to the window of the Migrator. Mallory shrugged her shoulders and returned to her introspective thoughts. _How am I going to explain this to everyone? _she wondered. Sorcery was not unheard of on Puckworld, but just like it was on Earth, it too was feared on Puckworld. Not to the extent it had been in the past, but it was still feared. The magick trials that had occurred on Puckworld made the Salem Witch Trials of old Earth pale in comparison. Things had been far worse in past times for those who practiced the art of Magius on Puckworld in times gone bye.

She sighed as she tried to figure out what she was going to do. She couldn't hide her gift forever, not if she was going to have to go up against Nightshade and his deadly magick. She would have to tell the rest of them sooner or later…_I don't suppose I could wait till later, could I? _She asked herself.

__

I'll make you reveal your powers now!

Mallory's head shot up. His voice had sounded like it was right in the cabin with her, like he too was sitting in the Migrator with the rest of them. _How do you think your friends will feel once they realize you've been keeping this a secret from them? I don't think they'll be very happy about…_there was a slight pause, _and just how do you think Wildwing will feel?_

Her eyes narrowed, _What of him? _She asked as her eyes narrowed even further into ice-cold slits.

__

Do you think he'll like the idea of having a magick user on his team? Might give him the excuse he needs to get rid of the hot-tempered red head. After all, you are more trouble than you're worth, aren't you? His voice echoed cruelly through her mind.

__

If I'm so much trouble why are you going to such lengths to get hold of me? She threw back at him. _Why would you want to teach someone who is just too much trouble?_

He laughed for a few seconds. _Powerful and very bright. I can't wait till you realize your full power, we will make quite a team. Together we will rule this planet and this whole dimension. After that we will conquer Puckworld!_

Mallory scoffed, her mouth actually fell open at his audacity. _Do you really think I'd leave my teammates for you?_

Do you want to see your teammates live?

Wh-what do you mean?

I can kill them with a mere thought, there was a brief pause as he added with a gleeful note to his voice. _They won't come to any harm as long as you join me, think about it. You will have two days to give me your answer, after that it's not my fault what happens to them. If they die in their sleep or during battle, it's all on your head. After all, you could have saved them. _Another pause. _And I think the first one I'll start with will be Wildwing…._

******************************************************

"What are we after here anyways?" Siege asked as he flung open the door to the warehouse. He stalked in with Chameleon and Wraith right on his heels. Nightshade did not follow.

"Nothing." Was Nightshade's simple answer.

The three Saurians turned to glare at the evil Avian. "What do you mean nothing?" Roared Siege. "There had better be some good reason for that damn answer or I'm gonna pluck your feathers one at a time and listen to your screams with a smile on my face. Then I'm gonna eat you!"

"The plan was to lure the ducks here. Once they are here we will engage them in battle only to leave shortly after the firefight begins." Nightshade said, looking at Siege with a look that said 'Are you really that stupid or do you just act that way?'.

"WHAT kind of plan is that?" Bellowed Siege, stomping up to the unruffled Avian.

"Are you stupid or something?" Nightshade said. He didn't even flinch as Siege got right up in his face. Siege growled low in his throat, trying to seem more intimidating but the duck only shrugged it off. "Is that the best you can do?"

"Eat hot tachyon!" Siege said as he held his gun up in Nightshade's face.

"Sorry, but I try to stay away from that stuff, it gets stuck in my teeth, if you know what I mean." Nightshade said as he slowly pushed the offending gun out of his face.

Siege glared at him, "It's still a stupid plan." He muttered as he stalked into the warehouse.

Nightshade suddenly stood in front of him and from nowhere he brandished a knife in his hand, holding it up front of their faces so that Siege could get a good look at it. "It may seem stupid to you but know this, if Flaming Bird denies me she will die." He gently traced a finger up the sharp blade of the twin edged knife, careful so as not to cut himself. "Poison lies on the blade of this knife, and there is no cure found on this wretched planet. If she denies me again, she will die. If I can't have her then no one will!"


	7. The Poisoned Stab

Author : Wild-Melody

Disclaimer : Standard, don't own it. Don't own nothing other than a car that is more trouble than it's worth…oh, and the cloths on my back.

Warning : and that is what? Nothing at the moment since I haven't wrote the story yet.

Well, sit back, relax and enjoy the next installment.

Surprise

Chapter 7 : The Poisoned Stab

The Migrator skidded to a stop and the four ducks cautiously stepped out as they wearily looked around. _Come out, come out where ever you are. I know you're here. _Mallory thought, her eyes peeked around, looking deep into the shadows. Nothing, she seen absolutely nothing.

"I know they're here." Wildwing said. "Spread out, Mallory, you're with me." Wildwing ordered. She was about to argue the point until she got THE LOOK from him. 'I am leader, don't argue with me!' that look. She bit her tongue and followed him.

He walked towards the warehouse, the evidence of someone prying the door very apparent. "Not the Saurians usual style." Mal commented.

Wildwing glared at her, he put a finger up to his beak indicating for her to keep quiet. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared back at him but just perceptibly nodded her head. _Fine, _she thought, _You wanna act this way, so will I!_

He moved slowly towards the opened door of the warehouse, she fell into step behind him. A sudden tachyon beam just barely missed his head at the same time his comm unit went off. "Wing, we got lizards!" Duke yelled at the top of his lungs. Wing could hear the lazer firing in the background.

Another shot just barely missed Mallory, she dived for cover behind some crates that were piled outside of the warehouse. Wildwing was just moments behind her. "So do we Duke, so you're on your own. Meet back at the Migrator as soon as you can." He flipped the top of the comm unit shut at looked over at Mallory. She had her puck launcher out and was shooting. _Not wasting anytime, is she? _He thought as he aimed the built in puckgun on his wrist armor. A few shots directed towards where the tachyon fire was coming from and there was no more tachyon fire.

Mal cautiously got up. "That was way to easy." She said softly. She looked around, something just didn't feel right.

__

Are you going to join me?

She gasped, wildly looking around. Wildwing looked at her curiously. She shook her head, indicating everything was alright. He continued to survey their surroundings, looking for any out of place shadow or anything.

__

I thought I had two days to think about it. She said

You do, I was just wondering if you'd made a choice yet. Will you join me or do you need more time to think it over?

I highly doubt it. She answered.

__

What? he asked.

__

That I'll join you. You've got to be crazy if you think I'd join the likes of you!

__

Then don't blame me when someone dies because of your bad choice.

She heard a sound behind her, Wildwing must've heard it too for he spun around at the same time she did. A strange Drake materialized there behind them, strange to Wildwing anyhow. Mallory gasped, not knowing that they could materialize like Wraith. _You have a lot to learn Flaming Bird. And I could've taught you everything, but you had to make the wrong choice._

She never saw the blade, but she felt it. She heard Wildwing give a soft gasp but didn't have time to see what had happened to him. Pain, hot and burning, erupted through her stomach and up into her chest. She felt like she was dying. _Not yet, _came Nightshade's voice. _It will take a few days before the poison finally kills you. Those few days will be the most painful one's you've ever felt. There is no cure on this wretched planet, besides which, I'm the only one that knows the cure. You should've said yes._

********************************************

Wildwing saw the strange Drake materialize, saw him lunge for Mallory, then everything erupted into chaos. Siege and Wraith were suddenly there, Siege firing his lazer and Wraith shooting bolts of magick every which way. Duke came running around the corner followed by the hulk that was Grin. In front of them like the devil was on his tail was Chameleon.

He heard Mal gasp, saw her cringe. Had the strange Drake hurt her? Wildwing didn't have time to find out. Siege suddenly decided to use him for target practice. Wing returned the fire, he managed to somehow bring a pile of crates down on the huge Saurian's head. Moments later the fight was done, the Saurians and their ally, the strange Drake, had teleported out of there.

Wildwing walked over to Mallory who was kneeling on the ground, holding onto her side. "You alright?" he asked as he extended his hand to help her up.

She swatted it away and fumbled up on her own, but she didn't take her hand away from her side. "I'm alright," she mumbled.

Wildwing moved closer to her, his hand reached out to move her hand from her side but a remark from her brought him up short. "I SAID I was alright!" she said, her voice low and serious. She turned around and walked away from him. She walked up into the Migrator and heavily sat down. Only then did she pull her hand away and look at it. Blood covered her light beige feathers, and as she looked down she noticed that blood had soaked through her purple jump suit. _Oh great! _she silently thought.


	8. The End

Author : Wild-Melody

Disclaimer : Don't own 'em.

Warning : I'm sick so I don't care at the moment, and I'm too confused to even try and figure it out…so nah! Oh, one last thing, you tell me what you think happens at the end. 

Read and Review please, and don't kill me for where I've ended this story.

Surprise

Chapter 8 : The End

"I want you to let Tanya take a look at you." Wildwing said from his seat in the Migrator. He didn't even turn around to look at her. Mallory opened her mouth to argue the point when Wing added, "And don't argue with me, just let her take a look at you. I'm already down one player, I don't need two."

Mallory sighed, _I'm not going to let Tanya look at me, there is nothing she can do to help me. In a few days there won't be anyone that can help me. _She glared at the back of Wildwing's head, it was just then that he decided to turn around and look at her. "What?!" she huffed.

"I could ask you the same thing." he countered.

"I said I was alright, I don't know why you keep on making such a big deal about it." Mallory shot another glare in his direction. "I'm fine!"

"Then why do you keep holding your side?" Wildwing asked, turning around to face forward again.

She continued to glare at the back of Wing's head. "I'm fine!" she said to no one in particular.

**************************************

The Migrator pulled into the Pond and stopped, before Wildwing even had the engines shut off Mallory was down the plank and off. "Bet ya ten to one she don't even go see Tanya." Duke said from besides Wildwing. Wing looked over at him and shook his head.

"Probably not. I'll have to mention something about it to Tanya later, when Mal's not around." Wing unbuckled his belts and followed Grin and Duke out of the Migrator.

"So, you're not gonna lock Mal-Mal up then?" Duke asked as he and Wildwing wondered toward the control room.

Wing turned to regard the gray drake. "I don't know right now Duke. I've just got so many things going on in my head right now. She's hiding something from us and I don't know what it is. I don't know if it's something dangerous or if it's just something personal that she doesn't want to talk to us about…" the white drake paused as he looked up and down the hallway they were in. "There's something not quite right about her right now…I don't know, I can't really put my finger on it." He shook his head as he tried to get his thoughts in order.

"She hit me with something Duke, and I don't know what. I never saw a thing, no weapon no nothing. It was like she…I don't know!" he flung his hands up into the air. "I just don't know, she's changing right before our eyes, and I don't know what the outcome of that change is going to be. Will she still be the same duck or will she be something new? Will she be a danger to us or not?" Wing shook his head, "I wish I had the answers to those questions but I don't." he looked Duke right in the eye.

"I wish I could answer 'em for ya Wing, but I know less than ya's do." Duke shook his head. "Maybe if ya ask Tanya, she and Mal-Mal seem to talk a lot. She might know."

"I'll try that," Wing said, he turned to head towards the infirmary. Duke turned to head toward his room, some relaxation time was in order.

*******************************************************

The doors to the infirmary swooshed open and both Mallory and Tanya glanced up to look at who had just walked in. Both their eyes met Wildwing's. "Um, Tanya…" Wing paused as he looked at where Mal was standing. She was standing right next to his brother, her eyes too looked down at the unconscious duck. "Can I speak with you for a second?"

"Ah, sure Wildwing." Tanya looked over at Mallory who smiled and nodded her head. Tanya followed Wing out of the infirmary which left Mallory alone in there with Nosedive.

She looked down at him once more, the sadness that clogged her throat threatened to choke her as tears came to her eyes. _You can heal him. _She heard her mother's voice gently echo in her head.

__

I can?

Yes, just lay your right hand over his heart and listen to me as I instruct you in what to do. Mal did what she was told and laid her hand over the teen-ager's heart. A few seconds later she felt an electric bolt arc between their bodies. _You felt it didn't you? _Mal nodded her head. _Good, now close your eyes and concentrate. _Mal did as she was told and closed her eyes. Images began to flood her mind. She saw Nosedive's heart beating irregularly, felt his pulse plummet then race only to slow down to a normal pace. His breathing was irregular and shallow.

Mallory left out a long shuddering sigh. _This is the easy part Mallory, now comes the hard part. Place your left hand over your own heart. _Mal did as instructed. _Now release the energy you feel there, grab hold of it and release it from it's cage. _Mal didn't quite understand what she was suppose to do but she tried anyhow. She felt a warm sensation travel out of her chest and down her arms. She felt the electrical bold arc between her and Nosedive's bodies once more. The teenager took in a shuddering breath and slowly opened his eyes.

"What the-" he paused as he saw Mal, her hand gently placed against his chest, just over his heart. "Mal?"

She opened her eyes and looked down at him and smiled tenderly. Something he'd never seen her do before. "You feeling alright there girly-girl?" Nosedive asked as he struggled to sit up. 

"I'm fine Nosedive." she answered. One last electrical bolt raced between their bodies, with it a series of images flooded Nosedive's mind. He gasped. _A strange drake grabbing hold of Mallory, or someone that looked a lot like her. Magick filled the air and a tall dark drake materialized from nowhere. The two drakes fought, magickal energy charged the air. The look alike Mallory ran to the newcomer's side, the name 'Darkskies' was heard. The two ducks locked hands, an energy unlike anything that had ever been known before charged the air till it danced with it. Suddenly, in a whirl of colors, the other drake disappeared. 'Are you alright Skysong?' the tall drake asked. 'Yes,' the female answered.._

The visions stopped and Nosedive looked questioningly up at Mallory. "What in the hell was that?" he asked as he scooted away from her. "What are you?" his voice began to raise to a fevered pitch.

__

He saw the visions of who and what you are Mallory. Windracer said. _You will have a lot to explain, our kind was not welcomed with open arms after the final battle with Nightshade. _A great dispair filled Windracer's voice. _That is one of the reason your father hit your heritage from you I'm afraid._

Mallory looked at Nosedive, at the fear she saw reflected there in his eyes. "I'm a magick user Nosedive." she answered quietly. "I come from a proud line of magick-users, but I never new this until not very long ago." The fear in his eyes did not diminish, in fact it only grew. "I'm still me, I haven't changed any." She started to walk toward him but he leapt from the bed and ran from the infirmary, almost knocking Tanya and Wildwing over.

Nosedive hid behind Wildwing, his eyes were opened wide with fear, and they looked directly at her. "Keep her away from me!" Nosedive screamed.

Mallory stayed where she was, unsure of what to do. She looked from Wildwing to Tanya and saw the confusion paralleled in their eyes. _They don't understand what's going on…but really neither do I. _Mal thought.

"She's a witch!" Nosedive yelled as he pointed an accusing finger at Mal.

Both Wildwing and Tanya's eyes opened wide in surprise. "What?!"

Mal backed up, unsure of what to do. "I'm not a witch." she said. "I'm a magick-user. There is a difference."

Wildwing looked down at his little brother, "What happened?" he asked.

"I woke up and there she was with her hand on my chest, trying to suck the life out of me!" Nosedive said, his eyes never leaving where Mallory stood.

"I was not!" Mallory shouted. "I healed you! If not for me then you'd still be lying on that bed."

Wildwing looked from one to the other, unsure of who to believe. _If Mallory had healed him as she said, then when he woke up Nosedive could've mistaken what he was seeing. Or Mallory could just be trying to cover her tracks. _Wildwing shook his head, trying to clear it. That's when he noticed for the first time the red stain on the side of her jumpsuit, and at that same instant Mallory collapsed to the floor.


End file.
